Pepper
Pepper in beauty products usually refers to extracts from black peppercorns or pink pepper berries. It is used in small amounts to add a warming, stimulating sensation and to help other active ingredients absorb better into the skin or scalp. This spicy ingredient brings a gentle tingle to creams, serums, hair tonics and lip-plumping formulas.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, pepper extract functions primarily as a circulatory stimulant and penetration enhancer. The naturally occurring piperine increases microcirculation, producing a mild warming effect that can make skin feel energised and appear brighter. It is also valued for its ability to temporarily boost the delivery of other cosmetic ingredients, making it a popular addition to hair-growth serums, anti-cellulite creams, lip-plumping balms and stimulating scalp treatments.
Key benefits
- Gives a pleasant warming or tingling sensation
- Helps improve the feel of microcirculation
- Can make skin look temporarily brighter and more awake
- Enhances absorption of other cosmetic ingredients
- Adds a spicy note to lip-plumping formulations
- Stimulates the scalp when used in hair tonics
Best for
normal skin, oily skin, combination skin, dull skin, scalp concerns
Where it comes from
Black pepper extract is obtained from the dried, unripe fruit (peppercorns) of the Piper nigrum vine, a perennial plant native to southern India and now widely cultivated in tropical regions. Pink pepper extract comes from the dried berries of the Schinus terebinthifolia tree, originally from South America.
Products with Pepper
Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain Pepper than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.
We haven’t matched this ingredient to a product ingredients list yet — check back as more pages are enriched.